Date is off
by Emserai
Summary: Having only recently got back together Kurt and Blaine try to navigate their history and starting again when illness calls their date off.


Date is off – Blaine and Kurt

A/N – This is mostly a Klaine fic, featuring Nick (who is dating Jeff, of course!) and also an OC of mine (who is introduced properly in my story 'The roommate'), it's set sometime mid-way through Blaine's freshman year at college – he's at NYU and Kurt is a sophomore at NYADA with Rachel – who also features in this fic via text message. Santana and Quinn are mentioned here too – they are both sophomores at NYU.

* * *

Kurt was smiling happily to himself when he arrived at Blaine's dorm in NYU, he knocked on the door of the room that Blaine and Nick shared, he was looking forward to their date tonight, they'd been back together for nearly two months and they were going for dinner. Ok so they'd been for dinner a couple of times before, but it had been dinner and cinema or just something small, tonight he'd booked a proper romantic dinner in a nice restaurant. He hoped it wasn't going to turn out to be too much too soon. Getting back together had been difficult in ways that neither of them had imagined, as friends Kurt had learnt to trust Blaine again, but now in a relationship they couldn't go exactly back to where they left off but on the other hand they couldn't act like any other couple who'd been together for a month. Then again they'd never been exactly like any other couple.

To his surprise Nick answered the door, since Nick didn't really like being in their room on his own Kurt had assumed he'd already be out with Toni or one of their other friends, "Oh, hi Kurt," Nick said, "Sorry I was going to ring you."

"Why what's up?" Kurt asked.

"Nothing, just Blaine's ill," Nick explained.

"Oh, what's wrong?" Kurt asked, wondering why Blaine hadn't rung or texted him himself to cancel their date. "Can I come in and see him for a bit?"

"Yeah course you can, he's just got a migraine," Nick explained.

Kurt winced, Blaine's migraines weren't exactly a just thing, ok they happened quite often, so he knew how to deal with them, but they still left him in excruciating pain and often nauseous despite some pretty strong painkillers. He always found the best thing to do was to keep still and hopefully sleep so it wasn't a surprise he hadn't rung Kurt. "Nasty, when did it start?"

"I don't know, he looked a bit pale this morning, but he told me it was nothing and then when I got back from class this afternoon he was throwing up."

Kurt shook his head, Blaine did always have to try and avoid being vulnerable, "Typical."

"Anyway, come in," Nick said, "I was going to go make myself a coffee, do you want anything?"

"Yeah coffee sounds good, is he awake?" Nick shrugged, but there was a grunt from Blaine's bed, "I'll take that as a yes, see you in a sec," Kurt said and wandered over to the bed. He settled gently behind Blaine who was lying on his side facing the wall. He wasn't sure what to do in this situation, before he would have cuddled up to his boyfriend to try and comfort him, but he wasn't sure if they were really in that territory yet. He touched Blaine's shoulder, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Awful, sorry I forgot to ring you," Blaine said quietly without opening his eyes.

"That's ok, can I do anything?"

"I feel sick," Blaine muttered pathetically.

"Nick said you were sick already, have you eaten anything?" Blaine shook his head automatically and then cried out in pain. Kurt found his hand going to his boyfriend's back to stroke it comfortingly, "Shush, I can get you some water and something for your stomach," he told him gently, Blaine nodded and then regretted that as well when a jolt of pain shot from his head down his back, he whimpered again. "Shush," Kurt said again, "Don't do that, I'll be back in two minutes."

Kurt got up and walked down to the kitchen with two hot water bottles, he met Nick coming back, "Good call," the younger guy said, "I was just going to look for those."

"He says he still feels sick, when did he have painkillers?" Kurt asked.

"I gave him some when I got in so about three hours ago."

"Hadn't he had any before that?" Kurt asked.

"Not the really strong ones, he says he had normal ones at lunchtime."

"Idiot," Kurt muttered, Nick nodded and they continued to their respective destinations.

Nick slipped quietly in through the door and put the coffee down on the desk, he went and sat by Blaine, "You didn't tell me you still felt sick," he accused him.

"I didn't want to worry you," he muttered.

"Hmmm, because you never have to look after me Blaine," he said sarcastically.

"Sorry," Blaine said and then winced and screwed up his eyes against the pain.

"Shush, stop talking, Kurt'll be back in a minute," Nick said.

"He shouldn't be here," Blaine said.

"Of course he should, he's your boyfriend, this is exactly what he should be doing, I know you guys are taking it slow, but you can't undo your past, and some of your past means that he can care for you even if it's still early days this time around, besides he's here now, I can't send him away and I need to go and break into Toni's room to call my boyfriend."

"You can do it here," Blaine said.

"In the dark, with you and Kurt here, no thanks, that's why I cut her key and I know she's out at rehearsal tonight anyway, so everybody wins." Blaine made a noise that could have been acknowledgement but sounded more like pain. Nick squeezed his shoulder, "You'll be alright in a bit, you should get some sleep," he said gently, even though he knew that sleep was exactly what Blaine had been trying to do for the last three hours.

As Kurt arrived Nick stood up as if to grab his coffee but mostly to allow Kurt to go back to the prime comforting position on the bed. Kurt gratefully took the space offered to him and placed one hot water bottle on Blaine's stomach and the other against his head, he put the water on the side and thought he might wait a few minutes before he got Blaine to try sitting up.

Nick was now digging around on their desk looking for the key to Toni's room, "Blaine, have you seen Toni's key?" he asked.

"I dunno," Blaine muttered, as he shifted around and tried in vain to get comfortable, "When did you have it last?"

"At the weekend, did you take it when you went round the other day?"

"Maybe, look in my bag," Blaine was now clenching his teeth against the pain and Kurt was stroking his back and whispering to him to keep still.

Nick went and looked in the bag and pulled the key out, "Got it, sorry about that, I'm gonna go call Jeff now, since you're taken care of," he told them.

It wasn't clear if he was talking to Kurt or Blaine, but since he was in a better shape to answer Kurt said, "That's fine I'll look after him." Blaine muttered something which might have been you don't have to but dissolved into a whimper of pain. Kurt shushed him again as Nick slipped out, "I want to," he told him. Kurt tiptoed over to grab his own coffee before going back to rubbing Blaine's back, he kept wondering about cuddling him, but he wasn't sure how either of them would feel about that. After about ten minutes he whispered, "Do you want to try sitting up to have a drink?"

Blaine muttered a response and slowly eased himself into a sitting position, Kurt gently helped him up and positioned the cover around him again. He passed his boyfriend the water and then gently looped an arm around his shoulders, "Is this ok?"

"Yeah it's good," Blaine said and then leant his aching head against Kurt's shoulder.

They stayed like that for a few moments longer, "Are you comfortable babe? Maybe you should lie down again?"

"Probably, it hurts less when you hold me though," Blaine whispered, even though they both knew that that was pretty irrational.

Kurt smiled, "I can hold you when you lie down."

Blaine opened his eyes to look at him, "I didn't mean, you don't have to do that," he said haltingly.

"I want to make you feel better though," Kurt said, he was torn, because he knew that he wasn't ready to share Blaine's bed again for another reason, but seeing him like this made him want to hold him close. "Come on, lie down, you can put your poor beautiful head on my lap," he told him. Kurt helped him rearrange himself and the bed, and hoped that it would be at least halfway comfortable for them both. Surprisingly it was, he felt relaxed stroking Blaine's curly hair and Blaine seemed to be at least showing the pain less, he even seemed to drift in and out of sleep.

Kurt had pulled his phone out and had been texting Rachel who had advised him to: _Cuddle him you idiot you're in love with him aren't you?_ This advice had made Kurt smile, and his reply had been close to the truth: _Maybe later, he's sleeping now. _After an hour or so had passed and he was sure that Blaine was awake Kurt whispered, "Baby, do you want more painkillers?"

"Maybe," was the muttered reply, "The last lot did nothing really," Kurt looked concerned, he'd been wondering about that since Blaine seemed to be in a lot of pain for having already had his pills.

"Come on, sit up, let's try them again," he said, trying to sound hopeful. Blaine sat up, but he must have moved too quickly because he ended up with his head between his knees. "Hey, are you dizzy?" Kurt asked, knowing that this was Blaine's usual response to this feeling, he put his arms round his boyfriend's curled up form.

"Sick," Blaine muttered.

"Oh," Kurt said, he wasn't a huge fan of people being sick, but he could deal with it. Then he looked up and noticed Nick had left a bucket next to the bed to cover precisely this eventuality, he reached down and grabbed it and placed it next to Blaine.

"Thanks," Blaine started to mutter before he had to push Kurt away quickly and grab the bucket to empty the small amount left in his stomach after the previous throwing up session four hours previously. Kurt winced in sympathy and rubbed comforting circles on his back while he threw up.

"Shush, you done?" He asked.

"Yeah," Blaine started to say, but then he retched again, but nothing came up, "I am now," he whispered.

"Ok, sit back here, I'll get you a drink and then clean up," he took the bucket away with him and then went to their fridge to get some lemonade which he stirred to flatten and found the painkillers. He gave Blaine water first and then the lemonade to take the pills. "Lie back down and I'll be back soon ok, shout me if you feel sick again."

As Kurt was cleaning up he texted Nick, it hurt him that he had to do this, he should really know the answers to questions about his boyfriend's health, but they just hadn't been back together long enough: _He was sick again, has that happened lately because it never used to unless he ate?_

Nick replied pretty quickly, which made Kurt think that he wasn't speaking to Jeff anymore but was just trying to give them their space, which he did really appreciate: _It happened the last two he had and the heavy duty painkillers weren't doing much, I'm trying to get him to go get something else but he keeps talking about kettles! _

Kurt smiled, Nick was probably even more stubborn than Blaine when it came to getting help, if that was even possible: _Oh right, thanks, I'll talk to him about it, you coming back?_

Nick replied: _I was just going to stay here and write my essay, but I can if you want?_

Kurt considered: _I think I'm ok, but I'll text you if I change my mind, and you can come back when Toni gets back whatever_

Nick laughed: _I will do, don't worry! Toni was scary last time that happened, but I guess it is her room! _

Kurt found himself chuckling quietly at that too, he told Nick he'd see him later and finished cleaning up. He went back to Blaine and decided that this was all getting ridiculous and he would just take Rachel's advice and hold him properly. "Thanks," Blaine whispered.

"Shush, go to sleep," Kurt said, kissing his hair.

When Nick came back he smiled knowingly to see Blaine asleep in Kurt's arms, Kurt blushed a little when he looked up from the texts he was exchanging with Rachel, "Oh," he said.

Nick grinned, "Don't be embarrassed, it's not like I haven't seen you together before, it's good," he said. "Is he doing any better?"

"He's left me stuck like this for over an hour, so hopefully."

"That's good," Nick said, carefully putting his things away, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, actually, it feels sort of normal to be doing this again."

"Good."

"How's Jeff?" Kurt asked, wanting to change the subject, he still thought of Nick and Jeff as more Blaine's friends than his and not necessarily people he should be telling his relationship problems to.

"He's alright, he says school is really hard but he's been hanging out with that guy from your glee club – Mike, I think he's helping him with the ballet stuff."

"That's cool," Kurt said.

"I miss him," Nick said quietly, reaching up to rub his eyes and hoping Kurt wouldn't notice he was on the verge of tears.

But Kurt was too observant for that, "Yeah, that sucks," he said gently.

"Sorry," Nick muttered, "I'm ok."

"No you're not," Kurt said, "But I'm sort of stuck, so maybe you can find us both comfort food and come join us, since Blaine can apparently sleep through anything."

"He's always like that when he finally gets to sleep with a migraine." Nick tried a half smile and then went to go and find comfort food; he settled onto the bed next to Kurt and shared some chocolate with his friend. "Sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to be upset."

"People rarely do," Kurt said, "You feeling any better?"

"A bit," he shrugged.

"Good," he squeezed his younger friend's shoulders.

"It's just skype, it's not really the same, you know?"

"Yeah I know, but you'll be ok, and you'll see him soon," he told him.

"I know, it still sucks though."

"Yeah it does, it really does," Kurt said knowing all too well how badly being out of touch could suck, but Nick and Jeff weren't going to be the same, they wouldn't make the same mistakes, he was sure of it.

As they were chatting quietly Kurt felt Blaine start to stir, so he stroked his head gently, when he heard his boyfriend make a small noise that signalled he was definitely awake he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better," Blaine muttered without opening his eyes.

"Good, sorry if we woke you," Kurt said.

"It's ok, it was definitely Nick," Blaine teased, rubbing his eyes gently and sitting up properly very slowly.

"That's not fair, he was talking to me." Kurt pointed out.

"Since when did you defend him?" Blaine asked, but then he opened his eyes and took in the comfort food, "Oh, sorry," he said, "You ok?" he asked.

"I'll be fine, just lonely, sorry I woke you."

Blaine looked at him with sympathy and understanding, "It's fine, Kurt do me a favour, on Nick's bed there's this bear Jeff bought him that he's very embarrassed about." Kurt nodded and got up from between the two others and fetched the bear.

"This one?" he asked, "He's cute," he said bringing it over. Blaine had edged very carefully closer to Nick to hug his friend, so Kurt went and sat on his other side. They sat like that for a while, chatting a little and flicking through tv channels, with it on a very low volume so as not to aggravate Blaine's throbbing head any further.

Suddenly there was the sound of a key turning in the lock, Kurt looked up, confused since both the room's occupants were already in it. Whoever it was seemed to be struggling with the door, "It's open Toni," Nick called out, and Blaine muffled a cry of pain in Kurt's shoulder.

The older girl walked in the door, Toni looked at the three of them confused, "Guys, I know you're back together and all, but it's a bit weird all three of you being in Blaine's bed," she said smiling. Kurt and Blaine both blushed, but Toni and Nick just laughed. "What are you two doing here anyway?" she asked, "I thought you were going for a romantic dinner?"

"I ruined that," Blaine said trying to act like the pain hadn't suddenly got worse again after Nick shouted.

"So you do have a migraine, you liar," she accused him.

"Yeah, but can you yell at me tomorrow?" he said burying his head in Kurt's chest so no one else would notice a few tears of pain escaping. Kurt stroked his hair and shushed him quietly.

"For that matter what are you doing here, you're meant to be in rehearsal?" Nick asked.

"I was wondering why you'd been breaking into my room when you had your own room to yourself," she said holding up a draft copy of his essay that he must have left in her room.

"Oh sorry, I thought I'd got everything, you're still back kind of early?" he said getting up to grab the draft and tidy it away.

"Oh Quinn got on her crazy so we finished early," she explained.

"What did she do?" Nick asked.

"Someone said I'd be better playing the male lead than the female," she said, letting a little uncertainty creep into her voice.

"Oh Toni," Blaine said, forgetting his illness for a second and sitting up as if to go and hug her, but Kurt caught him.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said. So Nick got up instead and put his arms tightly around the older girl.

"What happened?" Nick asked, while Kurt convinced Blaine that since he was now in considerably more pain than five minutes previously he really should lie down again.

"Quinn yelled at him a lot, and quite a few other people, it's all pointless, he's right I'd be terrible for that part, I didn't even want to do it, it was all Quinn's idea," she said into his shoulder.

"That's not true, it's acting and you're great at that, you'd be fantastic." Nick told her, "Shall we go back to your room?"

"It's ok, you can stay here," Blaine said, without moving or opening his eyes, "I'm fine."

"No you're not," the other three all said.

"Well no, but nor are either of you, so you can stay if you want." He conceded.

Nick was secretly glad that Blaine had said they could stay, he was still feeling pretty lonely and fragile and didn't really want to deal with Toni on his own. "Come and sit down," Kurt sighed, "And talk quietly," he told them. He was paying too much attention to Blaine to see the other two roll their eyes at each other at his sudden protectiveness.

"I can't believe he said that, it's no wonder Quinn went crazy."

"Well not really, only a year ago I was playing Peter Pan, you can forgive him for thinking I'll be terrible."

"That's ridiculous," Kurt said, "You can play anything, it's a strength, ignore him."

"Except villains," Nick said, "You laugh when you try to play villains."

"That's alright, Santana's supposed to be playing the creepy ex-wife," she explained.

"Wait a minute, Santana is playing your husband's creepy ex-wife?" Nick said, "That's twisted, only Quinn could cast that."

They all laughed a bit at that, even Blaine and Toni. Blaine might have been in a lot of pain, but he had heard Toni becoming less and less collected and he desperately wanted to hold his friend, "Kurt, can I have more pills yet?" he asked hopefully.

Kurt was surprised when he glanced at the clock and discovered that he had actually been there five hours so he could give Blaine more meds, "Yeah, I'll go get them."

Nick noticed what Blaine was trying to do and stood up as well, "I'll get you a drink."

"Help me sit up?" Blaine asked Toni pathetically. She did as he asked her and then leant her own head on his shoulder, "You ok?" he asked her.

"Not really, you?"  
"No," he said.

"You should go back to sleep after you've had those pills," she told him.

"What about you and Nick?" he asked.

"He can come and sleep in Charlotte's bed, it's not like she ever uses it, we'll be fine." Charlotte, Toni's roommate, was fairly well known around campus for not often sleeping in her own bed, but she was actually a lot nicer than that reputation made her sound.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, fun as I'm sure it would be for Kurt to deal with you both, I could use the company."

"I heard that," Nick called.

"Good, saves me thinking of a way to suggest it."

Fifteen minutes later the other two had left, Blaine had fallen asleep again next to Kurt and Kurt was wondering what he was supposed to do now. In the absence of other sources of advice he texted Rachel: _He's asleep again and Nick and Toni have left to sleep in her room. What am I supposed to do now? I can't leave him, he's really ill._

He could imagine Rachel laughing as she replied: _Am I missing something? What's this about Nick and Toni? And no don't leave, but if Nick's gone you could sleep in his bed if you'd be more comfortable._

Kurt smiled: _No, Toni was upset because of something that happened at rehearsal and Nick was missing Jeff so they're looking after each other, what do I do? I'm not meant to be staying over yet._

_Well that's silly, he needs you, just sleep in Nick's bed, it's not a big deal, stop being such a drama queen. If you two take this any slower you'll be going backwards!_

_Ok, ok, but if he thinks I'm being too fast I'm blaming you._

_Whatever, Night. _

In the morning Blaine woke up feeling much better, he was a little dazed though, and as he was trying to piece together last night, he glanced over at Nick's bed and then saw that the person sleeping in it definitely wasn't Nick, "Kurt?" he asked, not wanting to wake him up if he was still sleeping.

"Hmm?" Kurt said, rolling over and looking at Blaine, "You feeling better?"

"Yeah, what are you doing here?"

"Looking after you, that should be obvious."

"Oh, but I thought we were taking it slow."

"We are, but you threw up and were in a lot of pain and Toni and Nick weren't exactly happy so they weren't going to be great at looking after you, and I like caring for you anyway." He told him.

"Oh," Blaine said as if this was a surprise to him.

Kurt got up and walked over to his boyfriend, Blaine smiled when he saw that Kurt had slept in his sweat pants and a Dalton t-shirt, Kurt kissed his boyfriend sweetly on the cheek, "How's your head?" he asked.

"It hurts, but not like before."

"That's good, you think you could eat something?"

"Yeah, maybe," Blaine shrugged.

When Toni and Nick arrived half an hour later they found both guys eating breakfast. "Hey," Blaine said, "Sorry I was so useless last night."

"Don't be silly, you feeling better?" Toni asked.

"Yeah, you got rehearsal today?"

"Yeah, this afternoon, I'm going to see Quinn for breakfast in a bit, but I think it will be alright," she told them.

"Good," he said, then turned to Nick, "You?"

"I'm fine," he told him.

"Is that like when you were ok last night?" Kurt asked.

"A bit better than that, but not really that great," he admitted.

"You know," Blaine said, "I have a quiet weekend, maybe the three of us could take a road trip?"

"What three of us?" Toni asked suspiciously, "I have a play to rehearse."

"I meant Kurt, but you can come if you want."

"I might have plans!" Kurt protested.

"Well cancel them, I'm not driving all the way to Chicago to be third wheel."

"You don't have to, I'll be alright," Nick tried to convince them, even though his face had lit up when Blaine had made the suggestion.

"Yeah, I saw your face, I can't say no now," Kurt smiled.

"Ok, I'll text Jeff," Nick grinned and almost bounced up and down on the way to get his phone.

"Now that we've solved everybody else's problems could we please return to the previous topic?" Kurt told him.

"Do we have to?" Blaine moaned.

"Yes, we do, you were really sick yesterday, if this has been happening a lot you should get some different painkillers."

"Don't 'if this has been happening a lot' me, Nick told you last night, you know fine well that it's been happening a lot."

"Right, well then why haven't you been to a doctor?"

"Because it doesn't matter."

"I beg to differ, you cancelled our date, remember."

"I thought you liked looking after me?"

"I like romantic meals more, also I like you being well more."  
"Painkillers will only mean they go away quicker, they won't stop them."

"That would still help." Toni pointed out.

"Shut up and go sort out your play."

"Not until you agree to go to a doctor."

"You don't play fair."

"No, no I don't," she laughed at him.

"I don't want to go on my own."

"That's alright Kurt or I will go with you," she said.

"Hey, I could…" Nick put in, but all three of the others turned to look at him, they all knew Nick was terrible with doctors, "Ok, maybe not."

"Alright, alright, Kurt can take me, now please will you go and deal with crazy Quinn and the casting and leave me alone?" Blaine whined.

"Of course, see you later," Toni left quickly.

"Are you feeling alright babe?" Kurt asked concerned when Blaine put a hand up to his forehead.

"No, my head hurts and my neck and shoulders ache and I feel like I could sleep all day, why do you ask?"

"Sorry, I'll get you some meds," Kurt said, subdued. When he came back he offered the pills to Blaine, "I can go if you want?"

"No, I'm sorry I snapped," Blaine said, "Come here," he reached up to pull Kurt close and kiss him gently on his forehead.

"It's ok, can I get you anything else?" Kurt asked.

"No, but I feel awful, I might go back to sleep." He said, lying down and allowing Kurt to tuck him in gently.

"Alright, sleep well," he told his curly-haired boyfriend.

* * *

A/N: This is part of a much longer fic (well hopefully eventually it will be a fic) but I wanted to try and actually post something so I've tried to make this work as a standalone story...not sure how well it works really.

Please review!


End file.
